Former England international Joe Cole has urged England boss Gareth Southgate not to start Raheem Sterling and Conor Gallagher at the World Cup.

Cole believes Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount deserves to start for England at the World Cup.

“As much as I love Raheem [Sterling], he’s not in form,” Cole said on William Hill’s Stripped Podcast. “Bukayo Saka’s playing for the team at the top of the Premier League.

“It will evolve as the tournament goes on. Five substitutions as well – it’s a game of 16 players effectively so most players will get a chance.

“I would go with [Jordan] Pickford in goal, centre halves I’ll go [John] Stones and [Ben] White in the group stage.

“[Kieran] Trippier right back, [Luke] Shaw left back. Then I’d play a midfield of Declan [Rice], [Jude] Bellingham and Mason [Mount] – Declan holding then the two 10s given licence to go forward.

“Then I’d play Harry Kane up top obviously, then probably start with Phil Foden on the right, then Saka on the left.

“There are four players who are going to play regularly – Pickford, Stones, Rice and Kane. You only take Kane off when the game’s done.

“That will be a problem for the other strikers because they know they’re going there to play second fiddle. Everywhere else is up for grabs.

“I hate it when people say Gareth [Southgate] doesn’t know what he’s doing – he’s the most successful England manager since Alf Ramsey, that’s a fact.

“He’s got all the information and he can see how they’re training. So, let’s all get behind Gareth.”